The Lady and the Lord
by RahXephon
Summary: Darth Revan has slain Malak and assumed the mantle of Dark Lord of the Sith, though only because it offered a chance to be together with Bastila. Can Revan lead the Sith while rejecting its teachings? The Force is vast and powerful, but was Kreia right? Hunted by both the Light and Dark, the Force begins to seems less of a blessing. postKOTOR1, starting from DSMRevan/DSBastila.
1. Revan

**Author's Notes:** This is a Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic fic, that follows from the ending of the first game. This fic features a dark side Revan for a change, which isn't very common around these parts it seems. Sadly, I'm not very adept in Star Wars lore. I've seen the movies, played KOTOR 1 and 2, but I have not furthered my knowledge in anything else. I just suck my thumbs when I can't find any information from a convenient Wiki. I can imagine hardcore fans weeping at my pathetic attempt at a SW fic. I'll probably be breaking canon left and right. One note: this starts immediately after the defeat of Darth Malak at the Battle of Rakata Prime at around 4000 years before the Battle of Yavin. That means it takes place long before the prequel and original movies.

**Summary:** Darth Revan has slain Malak and assumed the mantle of Dark Lord of the Sith, though only because it offered a chance to be together with Bastila. How can Revan lead the Sith while rejecting its teachings? postKOTOR1, starting from DSMRevan/DSBastila.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything related to the Star Wars franchise.

* * *

_**The Lady and the Lord**_

_Revan_

* * *

I let my new apprentice address the public. "Malak is dead. All hail the return of Darth Revan, the _true_ Lord of the Sith!"

The crowd turned jubilant. There was little doubt the only one who could surpass Malak was his former master.

"All hail Lord Revan! All Hail Lord Revan!", they chanted.

Bastila Shan turned her power hungry gaze towards me and spoke with eager conviction. "The Sith bow before you. You've acclaimed your right to the throne. The Jedi Order is in tatters. It is a merely a matter of time before your Sith minions wipe them from the face of the galaxy. The Republic Fleet is decimated. The Core Worlds are defenseless against us!"

* * *

"Master, shall we return to the Star Forge now to reinforce the fleets?" Her eagerness was too transparent.

"No, we shall not."

"But master, your power is needed to drive the Star Forge into motion. The jawless usurper Malak had taught me that only those radiant in the Force could keep it going. The Star Forge will collapse in idleness without you!"

"We do not need its strength."

"Revan, my love, I—"

I backhanded her for her insolence. Knocking her back on the floor.

"Do not presume to snake past my defences, apprentice!"

Her expression was fearful. One side of me spurned her display of weakness, while another side of me wanted to allay her fright.

"Master, forgive my impulsiveness, but is it not our love that binds our fates?", she interjected. I had already raised my other hand, but before I could strike she continued, "Have I not mentioned at this very same spot that I would be utterly yours? And have you not strayed from the path of good, the path of weak, all because you listened to my passion?"

My mind's turmoil raged evermore.

"I am the Dark Lord of the Sith.", I repeated to myself. "To show weakness—"

"Forgive me, master,", she interjected, her voice seeped with desperation, "but don't you realize we are more than master and apprentice? Open your mind to our bond, Revan. Do you see it? Do you feel it? The raging rivers of power that connects us flows with passion."

"You speak the truth. I sense little insolence in your soul. However, it is easy to deceive others of your true motives."

"Master, compared to you, I pale in comparison. I hide no secrets from you. Can you not feel my sincerity? Can you not feel my devotion? When I proclaimed myself yours, I meant it in the strongest sense possible. All I ask is to see me more than just an apprentice. There is no need to anticipate betrayal from me, for being by your side is all I ever wanted. To stand alone as the Dark Lady of the Sith is a crushing existence without your presence. No, you are the true Lord of the Sith."

I paused at her words, trying to settle my increasing conflicting instincts. "You.. are right. Through both our bond and your words I can sense no deception, even though every inch of the Sith within me screams otherwise. To weaken myself to you in this manner is erosion, not strength."

"Then damn the Sith and their ways! We are different. We are stronger. More importantly, we are bonded. I would never dream of usurping your throne, for my rightful place is by your side. Do you not see that our union is strength, not erosion?"

"I must meditate and rest. With each passing moment long lost knowledge is returning to me, including the habits that come with it. I feel as if there are two currents flowing in opposite directions. Am I Sith, or am I Jedi? You must have sensed it as well, have you, Bastila? Even now you seek to twist your words into my subconscious."

To hear me explain how I mistrusted her unsettled her deeply. Her conflicting emotions raged throughout our telepathic bond. "Master, I will gladly endure any punishment you feel is necessary to inflict upon me, but I merely wish to show you can trust me, and love me with all your heart. Do you feel it?"

"I feel it, and I am sure you feel likewise. We have both been tainted by the dark side, but we still cling to the light that is left."

"Yes, Revan, all the anger, the pain, the fear, but also the love flows within us. Will you open your heart to me?"

Though the storms still raged inside of me, I had to acknowledge my love for her. "What a foolish question, my dear, has it not been open for all this time?"

She brightened immediately upon hearing my change in nature, but then she darkened when her thoughts strayed elsewhere. "My love, can't you tell me why you can't return to the Forge? Without its formidable powers we will surely fall!"

"Shush, my dear. You have not heard from the natives on the planet in the system, then."

"Why would we heed the petty tales of a fallen race? The Star Forge is ours to control now, and nothing can stop us."

"Your arrogance always had an endearing quality, but you do not see far enough."

She put on a clearly affronted face, though she was secretly enjoying my compliment inside. "Why Revan, how scandalous to say such!"

"It's a long story. All that matters is that we can not depend on the Star Forge to function as it were without a price. Malak fooled himself to think he mastered the Star Forge beyond me. So was my old self, for that matter. I see differently now. To be so far away from its touch for so long made me realize how corrupting its influence really was."

"It is not corrupting at all, master! Surely you must have felt the strength flowing within your body when you stepped inside! It—"

I cut her words. "It is much more than a tool of the Dark Side. It does not merely feed from it; it channels it in far greater intensity than anything else. No, to lend our strength to the Star Forge would inflict true erosion. I will never step foot on the infernal machine again, and I command you to do to do likewise!"

"With the Star Forge, your power and my battle meditation, we can conquer the entire galaxy! Is that not what you wanted, before Malak's betrayal? Now more than ever it is within our grasp!"

She was too charmed by the Star Forge to see the danger that lied underneath its use. "You are mistaken, my foolish apprentice. We do not need the Star Forge."

"Master, surely—"

I backhanded her again, causing her bruise to redden even further.

"The Star Forge will run its course until it is expended, and then I shall destroy it from the face of the galaxy. Remember well how there was once an empire before the Republic that ruled the stars, and how deep it has fallen since. Their glory and their legacy has been utterly forgotten now as they wallow on the surface of a single planet. Their immersion in the Dark Side and the Forge had cost them their victory."

She gave in to my words, accepting my complete dominion over the Empire of the Sith.

"Very well, master. I will do as you say, but what of our fleets?"

"There is ample enough industry within our territory to fuel the war effort, and I have noticed in my travels that there are many eager souls willing to come to our side. We have power enough. Now, leave me be."

"But master, do you not want your love by your side? We can meditate together, just like we did in our travels."

She was stubborn. I had to give her that at least. However, it only fuelled my massive headache as my twin personalities battled for dominance.

"I must come to terms with my thoughts alone. You must organize the fleets with the admirals and make sure to spread the word for our dominion. Now go, Bastila."

"As you wish, Lord Revan."

Ah, I almost forgot something.

"One more thing, apprentice. Have you already received your Sith name?"

"I.. I have not. Defeating you would insure my side at Lord Ma— I mean, Malak's hand."

"In a way, you have still defeated me by stealing what was most precious of me, and what I had not known I possessed during my previous reign as the Dark Lord. You have stolen my heart and exploited it to the fullest. When you convinced me to stray from the path of the light, it was not because I relished the absolute power I would yield as the Dark Lord of the Sith. No, it was your passion that enflamed me. Sometimes I still think it was all a mistake. Even speaking my doubts is unbecoming of a Dark Lord."

"No, my Lord. You possess none but strength and power. I have no doubt at all who deserves the mantle more than you."

"My apprentice.. you may have swayed me towards the path of the Dark Side, but I know better now that I have had a taste of both. I must not let my fears make me paranoid. Thus, I will love you, and allow you to love me. In return, I simply ask that you not take Malak's teachings to heart. There is more to the Force than Light and Dark. Do not let your hatred cloud you or your vanity deceive you. But on the other hand, do not repress your every grieve, and suppress your passion."

"I.. will do as you say. That fool Malak was but a simple brute. Your words are wise, and I will take your lessons to heart, master."

I realized now that I could never become trapped within the limited vestiges of the Dark Side again. I had seen to much and lost sight of my goal in my quest for power.

"We call ourselves Sith,", I started, "but in our selves we can become more than that, Bastila. Do not let the Dark Side cloud you."

"The thought is.. somewhat unsettling. Are we not suppose to rule the Empire of the Sith? Are we not supposed to rule with an iron fist? Surely others will plot to betray you as soon as you—"

"You are correct, my apprentice. There are those who acknowledge only cruelty as strength, and they will seek to overthrow us. I will not cower from their threats; let them come. Have faith, my love."

"Revan.."

"I stand by my words. You have defeated me by grasping my heart and attaching your own to mine. None have defeated me in this way, thus you are worthy. Kneel before me."

Hastily Bastila knelt before me in a submissive posture that makes her beauty stand out even more. Even in my muddled mind I could sense the inner serenity of the love of my life. Every past memory with Bastila flashed before my eyes before it finally rested to the present. I sensed a direction the Force, a current in the Dark Side that was not altogether resisted by the Light. I threw myself in the flow and let my voice carry its will.

"I name you Darth Bastion. Let every Jedi know that their precious princess has parted with them. Let every Sith rejoice as your Battle Meditation will bring them to further victory. You will stand by my side wherever I go to serve as the fortress that shields my heart. I will always defend you from the Jedi that would seek to take your life or allegiance. Is that agreeable to you, my apprentice?"

"It is all that I ever wish for. As Darth Bastion, I will gladly serve for your every whim. As you said, we are not Sith at heart. I would never plot to overthrow you, for even if I did, my existence would be rendered meaningless. Without your heart, what else can this castle protect?"

"Let our bond flourish with our love. Now, go about your task while I review the visions of my past. The ever-embrace of power since my turning has provided me with some unsettling memories. Even now hidden threats are dawning upon me."

"Let me eliminate any threat that endangers you, master! I would gladly slay those who seek your doom!"

She was eager as always. I shook my head at that and smiled at her. Bastila didn't realize that as soon as word would get out we would be pounced upon the instant we would separate. It was Sith tradition to pounce upon the weaknesses a Sith Lord displayed, and a lover would be extremely vulnerable to others. Though her Battle Meditation was potent in affecting massive battles, she was no match for the average Sith Lord. Besides, she shouldn't be wasting time dealing with small fry.

"Hush, my love. These are threats more dire and more encompassing than you know. They are the very same reasons that drove the Mandalorians into motion and had turned my hand on the Republic. The times are flowing at a critical moment, but still my mind is torn in two. I must deliberate my two selves into one."

"Very well, Lord Revan. I shall depart back to orbit and deliberate with the commanders of our forces, though I fear I am woefully inadequate in matters of strategy. I have never served in the Mandalorian Wars, after all."

"You shall be brought up to speed in due time. I will take no more than a day to prepare myself. Just take care of any leftover supporters of Malak and insure the loyalty of the rest. Remember my words; there is more to strength than cruelty. Only then will you truly become the Dark Lady of the Sith."

"As you will, Lord Revan."

With a last kiss, we separated.

* * *

My words were true, yet they went against the most important traditions of the Sith. A Sith Lord should not weaken himself to desire for his apprentice; it would bring naught but opportunities for the apprentice to control the master. As tradition dictated, the apprentice would suck every ounce of knowledge and power from her master, and slay the shell that would be left behind.

The passions weaved through the bond that connected us ever since Bastila used her powers to keep me alive after Malak's betrayal. I could sense her purpose, her steadfastness, but also her unrestrained desire for myself. It was difficult to relish in her feelings, but I knew I could not let them blind me, as the Dark Side had blinded me before. I was not a Sith.

Yet I have taken the mantle of the Dark Lord for myself. How ironic that I would retake my old role, but not with the same conviction as before. Every death, every murder and every slaughter I committed had been for the sake of my people, the inhabitants of the Republic. The Senate was but a lumbering dinosaur, ages past its prime. The people of the Galaxy needed a single leader to wage war against the enemies unknown to them. I knew that the grinding bureaucracy would never step up its defences in time. They were utterly blind.

But in turn, in my quest to protect the people of the worlds, I was blinded myself. The rage at the incompetence of the Senate consumed me. The slaughter of innocents at the brutal hands of the Mandalorians for the sake of honor in battle had maddened my bloodlust. The final death stroke to my sanity was given by the Jedi Council, who still sought to undermine the Republic forces by their misguided pacifist intentions.

Never again. I waded through my dual memories, discarding everything that was false within me. I plunged deeper in my meditation and sought out the very essence of my core. It was both Light and Dark. The flourishing energies of my radiant lifeforce revelled from both sides of the Force. However, there was turbulence. Massive amounts of friction tore into each other. Opposite intents waged a battle for dominance. Compassion duelled with ruthlessness. Anger grappled with peace. It was an epic struggle.

One that I intended to end. I drew the Force within me, drawing upon the life force of the surrounding environment of the peaceful planet of Rakata. Every plant, every insect and every Sith within the area must have trembled upon my power as it devoured a part of their energy. Already I could feel it flowing within me, changing the course of battles and resolving the conflicts within me. Compassion made peace with ruthlessness. Anger co-existed with peace. Evermore did the Light and the Dark settle within my core and made it pulse with revelation. The two energies melded together to become neither Light nor Dark, but both. As soon as the last piece of the puzzle fit, I was complete.

It was a revelation.

It was as if a veil had been lifted, and another one beneath it. The Jedi teachings were wrong. In trying to transcend base emotions they dismiss as bestial, they became emotionless droids with little loyalty or attachment to the people they served to protect. All but the strongest were vulnerable in letting out their bottled up frustrations, giving in to their suppressed desires as they worked themselves into isolation and distrust. Both sides of the opposite coin repelled strong attachments in their own ways.

_There is __no emotion, there is peace._

_Peace is a lie, there is passion._

The two opposite tenets of the Jedi and Sith code were not completely right, but they weren't completely wrong either. All higher life forms held emotions; nothing could change that, even a lifetime of devotion to an order. Yet, to completely give in to passion at the cost of peace was destructive to others, and eventually to your own self.

_There is peace, there is emotion, there is passion._

Nothing was a lie, everything existed. To deny one part would make you vulnerable to the other parts. Life, I realized, was a balance of emotions. None were too important, but none were beneath importance either. The Force was not something to be dedicated at. The Force was a truly wonderful and majestic phenomenon, but it was not a thing to chase your entire lives for, like the Jedi and Sith do. Everything was a tool, and the Force was just another one. A powerful and flexible one, perhaps, but it was not all encompassing. Light and dark, red and blue, just because they contrasted each other didn't mean they couldn't coexist with each other. They were simply two halves to a whole, and to become dependant one only one side would make you vulnerable to the other.

They were all wrong. To protect the weak without owing loyalty to the people you protect was an empty and loveless existence. To crush your rivals and gain absolute power for the sake of power itself was a lonely and meaningless existence.

Love. Loyalty. Dedication.

Life. Death. Fulfilment.

For a single moment, I was in pure ecstasy as my body exploded in power. It was as if my entire being was one with the Force, melded within its currents and blazing through the invisible energy that surrounded us all. I could feel an insect thousands of leagues away, deliberating whether or not to swallow a bug. I could feel the thoughts of a Sith soldier, who struggled to keep a hard composure while torn up inside for the fate of his mother. I could feel the apt surprise of a Dark Jedi just a few rooms away as he was fully subjected to the flows of my existence in the Force. The tentacles spread farther and the voices kept multiplying until even I, in all my might, was unable to keep up.

My eyes trembled at the sight of the mash colourful rainbow that permeated my vision. Complete torrents of power washed over my consciousness as they redirected through my mind and washed out into space as millions upon millions of tentacles. Bonds upon bonds formed within me and the forces under my control. I always had a talent for bonds, and it was at this moment that its potential was utilized to its fullest. Every life form in the system was connected to me. New bonds sprang up in its infancy, just waiting to mature in power. Old bonds, forgotten in the long years since my memory loss returned with ever blazing strength. I could feel my old Jedi masters, those that are still alive. I could Kreia, the one who took care of my training. I could feel the diseased minds of her apprentices, who suffered and hungered more than most. Everything reached clarity.

There were two bonds that reacted the strongest. My love, Bastila, was literally flung from her seat in the shuttle. I could sense her delight in the blaze of my burning sun. She mentally grasped her inner self towards my own self, and I indulged her by blinding her senses with my love. _Revan!_, she yelled. _Let me see more!_ I wished I could, but she was not yet ready to face the magnificence that flowed within me.

The other bond was a complete surprise, however. Vague glimpses of memories surged into focus as the face of a defeated human woman glazed into sight. Her deep green eyes opened in surprise as well as revelation. She was hurt, terribly so, but the unexpected blast in the Force opened the gates of her receptors and flooded her core with something she had not felt since the Mandalorian wars.

_General?__, _I asked out tentatively.

_R-Revan..?_

Her mind screamed in disbelief. She simply couldn't comprehend. It was too much for her. The Jedi Exile grasped her head in torment as the Force flowed within her body, the first time since ages. Objects around her in her meagre cabin aboard a transport began to hover and shake. They moved around her, picking up more and more speed. Soon the chaos within her room matched the chaos within her thoughts. _How? Why?!_ Countless questioned bombarded her attention. How could she feel the Force after being cut from it for so long? How was Revan still alive and able to close her wounds and open her mind? It was too much for her.

_Revan, I.. please, I need to know, do you forgive me? Do you still care for me? Do you still love me—_

I withdrew my presence from the Force abruptly and cut off any channels within my bonds. Many barely noticed a snap. Some with latent potential in the Force felt as if they were slapped. Those who wielded in the Force were brutally dealt a mental blow and struggled to keep consciousness.

Bastila however, proved exceedingly stubborn. _I heard that Revan! Who is that bitch who thinks—_

With even greater effort I blocked myself from her as well. I could feel her rage pounding the walls of my mind. Vaguely I heard her yell to let me open, but I had no desire to confront the formidable lady at this moment. I stilled myself from all my bonds and even now, she faded away.

I knew I was going to have hell to pay when I would meet her next, master or not, but I still had business to contend with. The Galaxy was in greater danger than ever before, and for the first time in years my mind was open to the very dangers that permeated our lives. Business first.

I loosened my meditative stand and stood up from the simple mat. I went over to the comm and connected to the resident communications officer.

"My Lord?"

"Please inform my companions from the Ebon Hawk that I will meet them outside the temple."

"Very well Lord Revan."

I took my time relaying commands before I cut the communication.

There was ample time to dress myself in my new simple black garments. Like Bastila, I eschewed my former clothes and equipment. All that I had left was my trusted lightsaber, with a new red crystal instead of my old blue one. There was nothing particularly fancy about my weapon. There was a precious pair of crystals in my weapon that I had raided from the cave in Dantooine. It made the burning energy blade more intense so it would be easier to cut through material. The outer surface of the cylinder was infused with cortosis weave so it would not break or melt easily. Though expensive and powerful, I had no delusions that it would triumph over other Sith mauraders who were dedicated with their sabers.

No, my real strength lay in the command of the Force. There were the obvious destructive techniques to fry out droids, to command the winds and to seep the minds of others with insanity. But the most useful powers I held were far more subtle. I had a talent in divining the Force, and let glimpses of future battles wade through my vision. I held command in battle, tactically and more importantly, strategically because I could sense the right decisions. My precognition was perhaps unrivalled, and even without it my sound intelligence was formidable enough to shape the plans. With my talents in planning I could ensure my fleets held the advantage before battles commenced. With Bastila's Battle Meditation my victory would be complete as she would cement our strength during the operational phase of the battle.

I strapped on my force enhancing gloves before I left my quarters. On the way, the huge ancient temple called upon me. There was no time to admire its craftsmanship however. I had more important things to deal with.

"Canderous, HK-47, T3-T4, Zaalbar, welcome."

They each greeted me in their normal fashion, except for Zaalbar, who stayed eerily silent. The reason for his distress was painfully obvious. After all, it was but a few days ago since I manipulated his will into slaying his childhood friend. Though regrettable that it was that I had condemn the teenage twi'lek, it would save me agony in the end. The Dark Side within me felt compelled to block the stains of guilt from her death. It was not as if I had only one innocent murder upon my hands.

"Wooaahh gwooogrwaaawawww. WHreooaawwwh!", the wookie raged, unable to contain his emotion and grief.

"You have a life-debt to me. You, a wookie, should know best what it entails to."

"Wrooiaa rrwhgweew Ghewoowooor MIrwro!"

"Have I not aided your father in his struggle to regain his honour and his rightful place as chieftain? Have I not ventured in the Shadowlands to retrieve the legendary blade of Bacca? The very same blade you cut your former friend Mission…"

He finally snapped, and the mighty wookie roared into the sky as he wielded the very same blade I spoke of. Maddening with red, his eyes focused solely upon my simple form as he went into a mad dash to close the short distance between us. Before HK could level his rifle, before Canderous could sling his repeating blaster rifle from his back, I simple raised my hands and propelled a moderate Force push. Zaalbar was completely defenceless against my assault and skidded back several meters. Before he could do anything else, Canderous grappled Zaalbar's body on the ground while HK levelled his blaster rifle at his face. Reluctantly, he yielded.

"Woooheara eowr, Mirwroo woohreroer.."

"Your people are more important than your childhood friend, remember that. Now, I shall not torment you with my continued presence. You may complain about your life-debt all you want, but the fact of the matter is that you're of no use to me directly. No, I have a different task for you."

"Wrooreah?"

"Return to your people, inform them of my position as the Dark Lord, and reassure them that I have not forgotten their plight. Wookie slaves are of no use to the Sith Empire, and when the Kashyyyk System falls within our territory, I will not allow the wookies to be disturbed. All I ask for is their neutrality in the war between the Sith and the Republic, and an exclusive beneficial trade and mining agreement with our companies. Do I make myself clear, Zaalbar?"

The hairy humanoid paused before answering, "Woreaooh."

"Then go. There is a shuttle over there that will insure your passage into Kashyyyk."

Then, without a parting word he stomped over towards the shuttle yards. Frankly, I was glad I got rid of him, and that he didn't press onto his life-debt obligations. I was glad he wavered with indecision when Bastila and I confronted the Ebon Hawk crew at the shores. Now though, he was nothing but a liability. My old self, consumed in the Dark Side, would slay him in an instant. Now however, not a single emotion took preference over the rest. To keep him alive was not the consequence of any merciful tendencies within me. It was a purely pragmatic decision so that when Kashyyyk would eventually fall within our grasp, they would not rebel. To slay the son of the chieftain, who was in possession of their greatest artefacts would be a disaster in diplomacy.

I cut my thoughts and addressed the remaining crew.

"Follow me."

The Canderous and two droids faithfully followed me towards the side of the temple, where idle pieces of rock and rubble littered the courtyard. We stopped before a single Rakata monolith.

"There is a task that I can entrust to no one else but you, Canderous. You will have to make a long and arduous journey throughout the Republic."

"I am honoured by your faith in me, Lord Revan.", he stated with the absolute sincerity as a soldier. "However, would you not have me by your side? There is nobody else who I would pledge my loyalty to you, who defeated our people in war that will be remembered for centuries."

I shook my head. "Canderous Ordo, I have no doubt of your prowess in combat, and it is indeed true that you would serve as a most capable subordinate. More is at stake, however, and I need you for something grander. I need you to gather the remnant Mandalorians under a single banner, at your own command."

"But what is your purpose? We are defeated, crushed during the battle of Malachor V. You yourself had bested Mandalore the Ultimate in single combat and taken his mask from his corpse."

The man had no idea what had befallen his people, and what caused the war in the first place. "I will leave the manner to yourself. I only ask that you gather the Mandalorians, and prepare them for battle against an opponent more formidable than you have ever faced."

"I find it doubtful that the Republic can wield an effective resistance."

"It is not the Republic that I speak of. There is an enemy. A hidden, ancient threat that had recently begun to surge. I can not speak of it now, all I can say is that I hope you will not be too late. We will need every advantage over this enemy."

"Very well, I will follow your orders, Lord Revan."

A small tingle of a smile appeared on my face. "You are a good soldier, an excellent commander, and a worthy companion. You still obey me even after I have retaken the mantle of the Dark Lord. For your services, I reward you with a gift."

With a simple flick of my wrist I commanded the Force to push away the dirt besides the monolith. At an instant, several cubic meters of soil blasted away, unearthing what lay beneath. Commanding the Force again, I pulled a cubic box towards my hands. I stretched my arms towards the Mandalorian, holding it before him.

Almost tentatively, he took it from me. He was a soldier, but he was also a sharp individual. I knew already that he already guessed what lay inside of him. His shielded mind practically screamed it.

"Is this..", he gasped, and he pressed the button to open the container. His eyes widened as he lay his eyes on what was inside. Reluctantly, he took out the helmet and gazed at it in pure awe. "The helmet of Mandalore.. for me?"

"Yes, you are more capable than other Mandalorians who are scattered across the stars. Take it, and lead your people. Establish a stronghold hidden within the Republic. Build up your forces, and wait for my signal. It will take years. Are you up for it?"

"Without a doubt, Lord Revan!"

"Good, I will part with you ample equipment and a generous amount of credits to start up your venture. They await in the shuttle in the courtyard. That is all, my friend."

Canderous saluted and said, "I thank you. Let us hope that we will both succeed in our preparations against this enemy you speak of." Without another word, he turned and headed towards the shuttles. He was a soldier through and through, and he did not press me for information I was not keen to part with. It was exactly how I measured him.

"HK-47, T3-M4, you two will both receive a mission yourself. It is one of utmost importance, do you understand."

"Beep-beep beooop."

"Statement: Master, whatever your command, I will follow."

I turned towards the hole in the ground and regarded the second case. This one was larger than the one that held the helmet. It was rectangular, large enough to encase a human. I used the Force to levitate the chest from its grave and laid it on the side, before me. I pressed the code to open it.

"You two will be sent back to the Republic to recover a.. former friend of mine. She served under me as a Jedi, and she was a capable general, but she was exiled after she returned to the Council after the Battle of Malachor V. I wish to retrieve her. Further details have been uploaded to the _Ebon Hawk_."

"Query: As you wish master. Does it matter the meatbag should be recognizable after her retrieval?"

"Do not kill or harm her in any way, HK. In fact, protect her with all your effort. I trust your skills in deception have not faded?"

"Answer: Oh master, of course. I shall follow your will, though illogical it sounds. I sincerely hope the meatbag has many enemies for me to blast."

"As long as you do not disobey me. T3-M4, keep him in check and keep the _Ebon Hawk_ under your protection."

"Beeop beep beep!"

"You two are dismissed. Take the _Hawk_ and begin your journey immediately."

With a simple salute and a beep, the two droids left my presence. As a new Dark Lord, I had but few who I could truly trust. The unexpected bond with my former general was definitely not a coincidence. The Force willed it, somehow, and I was not about to ignore this new development. I could feel the confused emotions that faintly settled within her mind on the other side of our bond. I purposely kept it blocked; I had no intention of frightening her.

I bent over the opened case and took out the pieces of my armour. A Sith Lord was always careful, and I had taken plenty of precautions, including planting spare sets of my armour on different strongholds. The intimidating helmet stared at me like a silent droid. I had taken great pleasure in crafting the peaces of plates into a light and functional armour. The metals were infused with cortosis weave, and when I learned more about ancient Sith alchemy, I upgraded it with several modifications. The black and red colourings only heightened the sense of intimidation. Slowly I parted with my robes to leave me with an undershirt, and fastened the pieces on my body. With a final click my helmet locked in place. I raised my cowl over it to intensify my image. I was ready.

Now to face Bastila.

* * *

The shuttle towards orbit was uneventful. Every Sith who stepped in my path couldn't help but retreat at my sight. Oh yes, it was good to be Darth Revan. The Sith Transport landed in the launch bay of the newly produced flagship of the 3rd fleet, freshly constructed from the Star Forge at the day the Republic was driven off. The hulls were thickened with cortosis, freshly supplied by other worlds as the ancient superweapon couldn't produce it itself. I couldn't help but pay my final tribute to my former best friend and name the _Ravager_-class dreadnought _Malak's Doom_. I could bet that many Sith had their doubts of my sanity, but it served to throw them off-guard.

The shuttle settled within the massive bays of the dreadnought. I was immediately greeted by the captain who I personally picked by hand. An old comrade from the Mandalorian wars, he was there at the very beginning. He accepted my offer immediately. He led me through the crisp halls and took several elevators. Eventually, we reached the massive flagship module, which unlike the command bridge was deeply inside the core of the triangular ship.

It was from here that the flag officers, though largely absent at the moment, would coordinate the battles through my directions. At one side, away from the others, was a specially designed spot with a strategic screen. It was simple, yet comfortable, and it would allow Bastila to utilize her Battle Meditation to the fullest.

Speaking of the devil, her charming features smiled deceptively at the sight of my armoured form.

"Lord Revan, so _good_ of you to grace us with your presence.", she greeted. Her pale complexion stood out brightly from her dark form-fitting garments. Her gentle curves belied the raging storms of passions that undoubtedly raged beneath. Though today it was perhaps not the only emotion that settled in her mind.

I glanced around the table, taking in the sight of the gathered admirals that commanded the top levels of the Sith fleets. Three remained absolutely impervious. Four were sweating and cowering, though it took an expert to glean this fact. But I was not interested in the ones who still remained alive.

There were three remaining seats that held corpses. One seemed to be electrocuted with Force Lightning, and it seemed that Bastila continued her torment until every inch of his body was blackened to a crisp. Another seemed to be imploded into blood and meat. Nothing but gruesome gore remained at its seat, unsettling the neighbouring individuals. The final one seemed relatively intact. Presumably, he was simply choked to death, but perhaps I arrived in time before Bastila could continue to mutilate the corpse.

"Darth Bastion, I regret the sight of three who would not pledge their loyalty in me. I was hoping you could keep it down to a single victim."

I let the bonds between us slip open so that she could feel the slight hint of disappointment in me. _Cruelty is not the only strength, my dear. A single death will have major repercussions, but three will unsettle the all Sith who have doubts._

Her seemingly pleasant smile twitched even further. Her emotions pounded against my walls. Hatred was overpowering within her. What could have..

Oh. It was more than simple anger. It was jealousy. She must have witnessed my connection to my former general, and had most likely drawn the wrong conclusion…

Her cultured tone brought me out of my thoughts. "These poor unsuspecting men thought they could get away with their defiance. They had no idea how fickle _women_ really are."

Yep, she was definitely jealous.

"Very well, let us start our session. Take a seat, Bastila."

I took a seat myself at the head of the table and began browsing through the many piles of paper. "Let us begin the review of the Battle of the Star Forge, or the Battle of Rakata Prime as some would call it. Admiral Varko, you commanded the overall battle aboard the Star Forge, correct?"

The dark skinned human looked unfazed as he addressed me. "Ah yes, Lord Revan. I held overall command of the 1st Fleet that was stationed to protect the Star Forge."

"Tell me, how did the fleet fare in the battle?"

"Admiral Dodonna's hastily assembled fleet was outnumbered by our forces by 3 to 2. The margin was larger concerning fighters. The ensuing struggle was not beneficial to the Republic's forces. When..", and he took a brief glance at Bastila before continuing, "Darth Bastion initiated her Battle Meditation, the course of the battle was turned in a more favourable direction. Our fighters and cruisers operated at unparalleled coordination, while the Republic's vessels proved too sluggish to respond to the tactics our ships engaged with. Unfortunately, they proved to be capable to retreat when they most likely learned of the fact that Battle Meditation was working against them."

"Very well. What is the result of the battle?"

"The Republic's forces were routed, though their defeat was not complete as we could not catch their retreating vessels. What they lack in firepower, they make up for it with speed. Half of their _Hammerhead_-class cruisers were destroyed or disabled, numbering thirty. We have a tentative confirmation that twelve were moderately damaged, while the rest suffered negligible damage. Furthermore, we have incapacitated fifty Republican Blockade Runners and other corvettes, and over three-quarters of their fighter screen. It is a heavy blow to the Republic's offensive capability, but it will not likely cripple their war effort. Furthermore, we received further intelligence that although the flagship was destroyed, Admiral Dodonna and several Jedi escaped alive."

"Hmmm…" It was to be expected that that they would slip my grasp. Nevertheless, with the defeat of so many vessels the Republican Navy would be spread out even further.

"What of our forces?"

"We have lost forty-one _Interdictor_-class cruisers, a dozen corvettes, and a third of our fighter screen. There were few Corvettes present and no _Ravager_-class dreadnoughts present within our forces at that battle. The Star Forge itself has lost a significant amount of personnel, though most of them were guards, and it has suffered some light damage at the hands of bombers and a few capital ships." The admiral held a steady composure even as he spoke the words. His professionalism was commendable. "Strangely, the Star Forge's efficiency is dropping even after we have enacted repairs. It produced warships from a peak of 300 percent operation capacity to merely a hundred percent now, and there are signs that this decline is continuing."

I stood up from my seat and folded my arms. Several admirals feared some kind of retribution. Bastila however kept her steel blue eyes upon me. Plain discontent creased her otherwise beautiful face. It was only for the sake of appearances that she held her anger in check.

"Admirals, I regretfully inform you that the Star Forge will most likely run out of capacity soon enough."

The startling fact exploded the entire conference. Nothing else but panic, confusion, and fear permeated the ensuing discussion. I let the men and women voice their panic for a short moment.

"Silence.", Bastila provided, and at an instant, the leaders set back to their seats. I gave her a slight nod at that. She read the situation correctly, though I had a feeling she wanted it over as fast as possible so she could confront me in private.

"As you know, the Star Forge feeds on the Dark Side of the force, as well as powerful individuals in the Force. With the death of Malak, only I keep the Forge working."

"Then why don't you keep it running?", a female admiral asked.

I shifted my gaze to her, which she met with bold determination. "The Star Forge is a tool, a dangerous tool. Nobody can control it, not even I. It will eventually master over me as it will cloud my judgement. I can not let that happen to me. Therefore, once it used up Malak's remaining reserves, we will destroy it."

The gathering learned better than to descend into chaos, but I had no doubt as I gazed into each of their eyes that the very thought of destroying the superweapon would condemn them all.

"This is my decision. The Sith can stand strong without the Forge, especially with the recent victory. There was a reason why my original strategic conquests made sure that most of the infrastructure and industry were kept intact. These documents however show me that Malak had a different philosophy in mind. It is a pity that Taris and several other worlds were crushed to oblivion by indiscriminate orbital bombardment. I am sure though that we have ample enough worlds to produce more vessels. Do you not agree?"

Tentative agreements, no doubt opposite of what they had in mind, greeted me. It was of little consequence. Either they accepted the fact, or would likely perish in the inevitable coup that would occur. Discarding the Star Forge would most likely prove to be an unpopular decision.

"Very well then, let us continue with the disposition of our forces. Admiral Girreth, your 2nd fleet could…"

The rest of the day was occupied in reorganizing the fleets and assembling several battle plans. It would not take long before my fleets would push towards the lightly defended Mid Rim the preparation of a full scale offensive towards the Inner Rim.

* * *

As soon as I stepped inside the adjourning personal quarters I was met by the full fury of a woman scorned.

"_Revan!_ How could you!?"

"How could I what?"

"You know, think of another woman behind my back! Don't tell me you're double-timing?!"

I pushed her against the wall with the Force, startling her and interrupted her tirade against me.

"M-Master, forgive me.", she apologized. Her eyes were remarkably different and held none of the confidence that she typically vaunted. I opened our bond and explored her open mind, not caring whether I could read her every emotion.

The revelation was unexpected. There was the intense jealousy, yes, but it was clouded with something else. There was fear, fear that I would cast her aside for another woman. There was despair that she would lose her reason to live once I would abandon her.

"Bastila.", I breathed. "To let your fear consume your heart is unbecoming of an apprentice of the Dark Lord. Look inside me and feel the truth. That other woman was merely speaking words. I had not seen her for many years, and we had broken up long ago."

Slowly the gates that barred my mind from her eager mind had opened. The resulting core of my fused identities blazed upon her own, taking her entirely off guard. _Revan, your power! And even more, it is not sweltering in darkness._

"You know better, Bastila. Now you witness it."

Once the shock of my radiance had passed over, she sent out gentle feelers upon the images that I presented her. It showed my dealings with the former general, purely professional at first, but it grew more in time. She frowned visibly as the tension between me and my subordinate grew deeper. She could see how we still held fast to the Jedi Code, until at the end, shortly before the climax of the war at Malachor V we relented. I quickly went past the night of passion, utterly shocking Bastila to the core, and showed her the aftermath of the devastating end of the Mandalorians. I showed her our desperation, how my brilliant general's wounds inflicted insurmountable tension within our relationship, only to explode in a spectacular fight that led to her return to the Jedi Council.

_It is all in the past, my love,_ I whispered to her mentally, _the only one I love is you, Bastila._

Tears sprung into her eyes as she regarded her emotions and the visions I sent to her. "Revan, oh Revan, for a moment I truly thought I lost you."

I held a reassuring smile behind my helmet as I approached her. She unconsciously pressed herself against the wall to meet my gentle embrace. She raised her arms and slid back my cowl. The imposing helmet did nothing to hide the overflowing love and desire for the woman in front of me. Tentatively, she unclasped my helmet and raised it over my head, only to drop it in a corner. She stared at my naked face as I stared in hers. Her smile held so much relief, and her pale skin shone under the dim overhead lights.

_So beautiful.._

_I'm glad, my love.._

"Kiss me.", I commanded.

"Gladly, _master_." Oh I love it how she says that word. She effortlessly deepened our embrace and met my lips with hers. A minute of incredible tongue-lashing followed, amplified with the sensations of our Force bond.

I amusingly commented, "If the other Sith Lords would see us like this, they would most likely cut us down in a second."

She smirked into response. "Then they are fools to attempt it. Nobody can deny your mastery of the Force. Your explosion has been felt by many in the System. No doubt countless of loyalists of other Sith factions have spread the word already. Even I cannot stare for too long. You are simply too blinding like the suns as you hold the power of one yourself."

"Nevertheless,", I turned seriously, "There are very few who would agree to my decisions. To love you unconditionally is one thing, to let the Star Forge descend into decay and destroy it is another thing. We must be prepared for the factions to rise up against us."

"Then crush them.", she finished innocently. Oh, how I wished it were that easy.

"There is a hidden Sith academy on the broken world of Malachor V where our assassins come from. I intend to pay a visit to my old master and her new apprentices."

She sensually licked my neck as I spoke. "Do you expect they would betray you, master?"

"There are several Sith Lords who have the influence to mount a coup. The three who run the academy however wield the greatest strength. I am reluctant to cast aside my old master though, even if she is called the Dark Lady of Betrayal."

"With a title like that, how could she not move against you."

"I suppose so.", I ended ambiguously.

Bastila took a small bite from my ear lobe, eliciting a small gasp of pain from my throat. Her eyes were filled with a mixture of mischief and lust. She sensually caressed my cheek as she carefully rubbed her body against my own. I was incredibly eager to shed my body armour so I could feel her curves even better. Those full breasts that so awfully teased me were rubbing hard against the plating on my chest. She smiled in victory.

"You're mine.", she whispered in my ear.

I flung her against the bed with the force, stripped my armour in three seconds flat, and jumped on her waist. Barely restrained desire directed my actions as I leaned over her helpless body and pinned her arms over her head. Her face showed the unmistakable sense of eager, but slightly fearful anticipation.

"I think I should show you who the real master is."

"Yes…", she moaned as she arched her back. "Take me."

* * *

"This is captain R'lima speaking."

"Gather your battle group and set a course for the Malachor System as soon as able."

"As you wish, Lord Revan, though are you sure—"

"I am quite sure."

"Very well, R'lima out."

I favoured the Twi'lek captain since the outbreak of the Mandalorian Wars. As a lieutenant he showed admirable flexibility and independence as the XO of a corvette when her captain was incapacitated. At the height of the Jedi Civil War he served as the captain of my personal flagship. Luckily, he survived the blast from Malak's vessel, though he put himself into great obscurity afterwards to avoid Malak's wrath. It took little time before R'lima sent a message to me, reaffirming his loyalty to me.

I had no need to intimidate the captain into obedience. I held far too much respect in him to resort to such behaviour. There were more ways to exhibit strength than behaving in a ruthless fashion. It would still initiative. It would lose important messages as messengers feared for their lives. More importantly, it was an unnecessary waste of talent and resources. High level officers typically excelled in their areas, especially in the brutally competitive Sith environment. It took many years of training and education to replace an officer, and many times it wasn't worth it to kill a man for questioning valid aspects of his superior's plans. A simple non-lethal choke would suffice in most cases.

Unlike Bastila, who had slain three admirals of nearly priceless value. At the highest post of the navy, these dedicated officers displayed the right talents and could be relied upon in the harshest of battles for directions. Each exerted their personal style honed over many battles. Their experience and grasp of tactics and strategy were unrivalled in strength. Admirals held the highest post a non-force sensitive Sith could hold in the Sith Empire. They held many privileges and wielded considerable influence.

These admirals exploited their power and influence to the fullest. It was one of the perks for the job. They had their own corps of eager loyal officers, ready and willing to do their superior's bidding and extend his influence beyond his official base. Any high level commander weaved their on webs, pulling a part of the Sith Empire into their own territory. They secretly battled it out against their rivals, enemies, or even allies. I was well aware of the friction between them before my capture. It would have been likely unchanged after Malak's reign.

Which means that the three deaths were most likely part of the faction that promoted a heavy-handed approach to steamroll through the interspersed defences of the Republic with steady deep thrusts. Though a valid strategy, Malak was simply too short-sighted to fully comprehend the threat that lurked beneath. Just as Bastila was too short-sighted to see that the power vacuum she created would have devastating consequences to the Sith forces.

Over time, they could have been cowed into sufficient fear to be replaced by more pliable subjects by silent manipulations. Instead, mistrust and dissention would sow through the ranks. No, I believed, I couldn't let their defiance take root. I had already planned to destroy them.

The Sixth Fleet led by the newly promoted admiral Garrett and the Eight Fleet led by likewise newly christened admiral Kavira would soon push into a concentrated strike towards the stronghold of Onderon. It was discontented towards the Republic after the brutal battles against the Mandalorians. The Onderonian fleet held a formidable number of corvettes and fighters, all manned by Onderon citizens. The population itself held a sizable number of beast tamers who would make effective recruits for the Sith troops by playing in with their cultural traditions.

The seven cruisers, escorted by a sizable number of corvettes and fighters, could crush the Onderon vessels in an instant, and stage enough of a ground assault to subjugate the only city on the planet, Iziz.

The only question was whether or not they would defy my direct order and go through with their slaughter. It served as a test as well as a trap. Would they be consumed by the Dark Side and Malak's brutal leftover habits and crush Onderon? They were sufficiently isolated to get away with it. After that, what would they do? They might have been ruthless, but they weren't stupid. They were already too committed by their own philosophy and they would have needlessly exposed themselves. So they would do the only thing they can do: rebel. They would gather their forces in some hidden part of the Galaxy and meet up with powerful Sith Lords hoping to usurp my mantle.

Yet, half of their ships were fresh off the Star Forge. I had specifically prioritized the Star Forge's capacity into replenishing their combat losses with the latest models as a peace gift. What they didn't know, was that their hyperdrives contained intentional series of flaws. If all would go well, their drives would break down after a certain amount of mileage has been reached. If they dare to travel beyond Onderon against my orders, they would find their drives suddenly inoperative, sometimes with fatal consequences.

That, and automatically transmit emergency calls towards the rest of space. They would either be hounded by nearby Republican elements or obliterated by nearby loyal Sith fleets. It was not a coincidence that the loyal 2nd Fleet and the reliable 3rd Fleet had orders to approach Onderon's neighbouring sectors after they have finished taking abandoned Republican systems into the Sith Empire's fold. Whichever fleet Garrett and Kavira would encounter, it would likely be a defeat. Whatever remaining forces would be able to escape the artificial gravity wells would lead my forces to their Sith Lord allies.

Hopefully, I would be there to await them. The Sith Lords at the hidden Trayus Academy on Malachor V were the next step up the Sith hierarchy. Meeting the battered survivors of two combined fleets with merely a battle group was a dangerous ploy, but I could not justify taking a larger escort without raising suspicion. So when the ragtag collection of survivors would stumble into the system, it was already too late to turn back once the gravity well generators onboard my vessels were activated. After exposing their treachery I would have ample backing to turn myself against the teachers of the academy. There would be no one strong enough left to challenge my will.

It took only a few hours for the captain to gather the dreadnought's escort. I spent time thinking about my plans, but also revelling in Bastila's sleeping form. It was amazing to be in a relationship, and it even more amazing to consummate it in bed. Despite being a prude Jedi for most of her life, she knew how to use her womanly wiles. She had me utterly wrapped around her finger in bed, showing only the slightest flesh or touching only the barest skin. She flamed my passion as she kissed my skin, whispering sweet promises of what she would do. I wanted to take control, to teach her who was in control, but instead she managed to defuse my superior strength with her sensual grace.

The utter display of helplessness to such obvious seduction was a weakness. Love, lust, they were feelings for the weak. A Sith needed only anger, hate or rage to fuel their strength. But was that really true? Being with Bastila was the only source of my strength now, and the bond between us amplified our unity. She would soon see likewise and learn from me the true meaning of mastering the Force, though patience was required. Even now there were still traces of creases, of sunken eyes, of even paler skin. She was still relishing on her newfound strength. She loved the Dark Side as much as she loved me. Over time, she would learn to regard the darkness as a tool, and not a master and a lover.

Until then, she would have to learn the hard way.

The familiar jolt in the gut told me the ship had entered hyperspace, presumably with its escort. I had the utmost confidence that I would not be beset with sabotage like I had planned for others. The crew were loyal Mandalorian veterans, while most of the ships and fighters were undamaged from the recent Battle of Rakata Prime. Betrayal might come, but I would not cower under my sheets. Let it come when it unravels.

In the meanwhile, I nudged Bastila's silent form. The gentle shake following the hyperspace entrance served to wake her up. Her warrior instincts caused her to flip up and reach her weapon. The sheets rolled off her form to reveal her full breasts.

"Good, I see your reflexes are still in shape."

Her marvelous black lips turned into a familiar smirk. "I'm even surprised I can still move with the way you kept going."

I chuckled. "I think you are mistaken who the real beast in bed was."

"Want to have another go?", she seductively asked. I hesitated when I saw her licking her lips with her tongue.

"If I can't beat you in bed, I think my energy is best put into sparring."

Before she could pounce on me I stood up from the bed and went over to dress myself with some fresh garments. Bastila stared me with hungry eyes, though her mouth was torn with amusement and frustration.

Finally, she couldn't help but burst, "Come on, Revan, I need you! You can't leave me like this!"

"Good. Use your passion and channel it into focus when we battle."

"But—"

I cut her off with a single outstretched palm as I started to strap on my armor.

_You can have me when you defeat me.__ You won't get a single kiss until then._

_What?__! You know as well as I do that I can't beat you in a lightsaber battle._

_Then try to manage a single hit._

_You're on!_

With waves of anticipation she rolled off the bed and dressed in her own garments. I had already strapped on my helmet and lifted my cowl over it. I was already on my way out towards the training hall when I called out, "Don't forget to switch your saber to training mode."

As expected, her arrogant nature showed up. "I'm not some padawan, Revan! I am Darth Bastion, the number two of the Sith!"

"You'll have a lonely night if you're not able to prove worthy of that title."

"Revan! I'm going to get you, drag you to bed and chain you to its posts if that's what I'll have to do."

* * *

**End Notes:** Well, this is the first chapter of my SW fic. Should I continue or abandon my efforts? I enjoyed writing this fic, but I'm afraid that many years after the release of KOTOR that nobody would really bother to read the fanfics anymore.


	2. Bastion

**Author's Notes:** I had almost finished this chapter within a day after publishing my first chapter, but then Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures came out. Lol, maybe I'll just write a Conan fic instead.

**Summary:** Darth Revan has slain Malak and assumed the mantle of Dark Lord of the Sith, though only because it offered a chance to be together with Bastila. postKOTOR1, starting from DSMRevan/DSBastila.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything related to the Star Wars franchise.

* * *

_**The Lady and the Lord**_

_Bastion_

* * *

I activated my double-bladed lightsaber and gave it an experimental twirl. The bright red colour took a lot of time to get used to since I had always used yellow. As such, I couldn't much rely on sight to track my blades. That was of no consequence to a Sith Lord, of course. Even if I was new to the job.

The only reason I was even an apprentice was because of my coveted Battle Meditation. The Jedi Council kept prancing me around and dragging me in their fights while holding their leash tight on me. It took constant weeks of torture and abuse of that wretched monster Malak to realize my true potential. I was more than just a master of Battle Meditation. Within me was a potential that had just been uncovered when I embraced the Dark Side of the force.

I remembered the first time I was swept up in its waves. It was as if a gate had opened up in me, pouring all my repressed emotions in the open. I let out my frustration for the Jedi Council for binding me in their chains. I let out my hatred for the weak Republic who seemed intent on destroying themselves than their enemies. I let out my passion for the one I shared a bond with. With Revan.

Just to stare at him was as if you stared at the sun. His power and majesty was undeniable. The very mention of his name invoked fear or admiration. He was a man of great destiny, and you would either follow his wake or be left behind.

I chose to follow him.

It was more than a mad lust of power. Certainly the Sith within me coveted his strength for myself. But there was something else, something greater, something more fulfilling than that. It was love. The Jedi Masters may have tried to wipe his mind and reprogram his identity with a different history, but his underlying soul had never been bent to their wills. He was a swirling storm that answered to no one except for the one he cared for. Except for me.

I was his apprentice, but also his friend, his lover. Perhaps in time I would become even more than that. Perhaps I would become a true Dark Lady of the Sith. Perhaps I would simply marry him and carry his babies. Whatever my role in the future, I was sure he would teach me how to become stronger, so that one day I would come close to that swirling maelstrom within his core.

"Well Bastila, think you can score a scratch on me?"

But for now, I simply want to bed him! It was another part of me that was unlocked from my self. Even though the Jedi discouraged such behaviour, I drank upon the stares directed to me. I had powers, it was only fair to have beauty on my side. At least that was one useful thing I got from my mother. I was special; the only Jedi in this era to be able to use the rare art of Battle Meditation, and the first one to truly master it.

I was good, oh yes, really good. I had a way with people ever since I was a padawan. I couldn't resist it, though I repressed it as best as I could.

_There is no passion, there is peace._

Bah! I scorned the Jedi Code now. Weak teachings for the weak. They held me back by grouping me with the other worthless padawans. Even as my popularity had risen, I had nothing else but my power to influence morale. In my desperation to prove my worth, I embraced the saberstaff.

Oh Bastila, are you sure? Oh Bastila, don't you think that's too hard on yourself? I was glad I didn't listen to them. I only wished I didn't listen to them more.

"It's Bastion now, and prepare for a rough night, master!"

His mask stayed silent. It hid his expression. Unlike other Sith Lords, he didn't use extravagant protrusions or exotic features to decorate his armour. It was red, with a touch of black. It was deceptively simple, yet amazingly capable. There was no telling the quality of its plates and what its functions were.

He was intimidating. He did nothing to enhance his relatively normal height or his average bulk. Compared to the giant Malak, it seemed almost a mistake that this man – who was still in his late twenties even – had been a Sith Master once. The key word was almost. You just knew there was something off about him. A reliance to armor hindered the use of force abilities, yet he didn't seem the type to be able to use armour effectively. You couldn't gage his strength by watching alone. You had to battle him.

His single hilt lightsaber seemed unremarkable. It was identical to the one he made on Dantooine when he was unwittingly reintroduced to the Order, save for the new red energy blade. The fact that it was set on training mode did little to reassure me.

Revan had been a fJedi Consular when he was still a Jedi. He had a formidable command of the Force. But he was more than that. He was intelligent and cunning. The Jedi Masters recognized his charismatic will and trained him to the deepest path of the Force, and how to deal with people without it. He had such a way with words that people doubted whether or not they were mind tricked. That was never the case, however. Revan didn't need the Force to bend people to do his bidding.

He whirled his blade and held his stance in a mock posture, as if to goad me into exploiting the obvious holes in his defence. I knew him long enough to recognize what he really meant. He didn't need opening stances. He was so in tune with the Force that he could start a fight with his hands tied behind his back and win against ten of me.

I made my move. I threw my blade with the Force in a swirling path that would score his shin. At the same time, I moved to his flank while I summoned my best talent in the Force: I influenced his mind and assaulted him with conflicted images. It was difficult to leak anything past his mental barriers. He had locked out the bond between us before we started the session.

He had already parried my double lightsaber with a smooth and effortless stroke that directed it away from him – and me. The ease at which he did it was certainly a testament to his formidable precognition. Though he was no true seer, he flowed deeper within the Force than anyone else and let it direct his actions. His adaptability and serenity in battle showed a remarkable mastering of Form VI, the Moderation Form.

No weaknesses, but no strengths. It combined all the techniques of the previous forms and it balanced each their uses. My master regarded the lightsaber as a tool, and was careful not to become over dependant on the weapon. _Niiman_ was fluid and low-maintenance. He wasn't as flashy as Malak using _Djem So_, but in a way that merely made him stronger than he seemed.

Certainly, it left his mind for other things to concentrate upon. As his saber hand prepared to meet my charge, his left unleashed a push. It was as anticipated; I nudged his thoughts into expending the Force in this manner. It was a simple matter of throwing up a simple barrier and cutting though the invisible hand. I was already by his side as I tried to sweep his feet, only to retract my legs at the last moment at the swipe of his saber. My arms were engaged in a rapid fist fight, though Revan easily slipped from my grasp as he evaded most of my strikes.

I was forced to step back and call back my saber as he slashed his saber in front of him. As soon as we had put a healthy distance between us did my saber return. I regarded my opponent carefully. Though I couldn't unleash the full effect of Battle Meditation in a duel, I was always able to manipulate others with a weaker, subtler version. Yet I knew at once that he would be fazed. He held absolute conviction that he would win. To him, it seemed she was simply trying parlor tricks. She had to try though, and perhaps he wasn't really as immune as he seemed to be.

Damn that mask of his. It hid too much.

Again, I seized the initiative and jumped off the ground to make a diagonal spin, already settling in Form IV, the Aggression Form. Despite what people might think of me, I had a lot of stamina. Partly, it was needed to sustain the Battle Meditation for hours. It served me well as I employed _Ataru_ in an attempt to catch him off-guard, though hopeless as it sounded. There were many variations, many options with a double bladed lightsaber. The acrobatics fuelled my unorthodox fighting style. I jumped, I spun, I parried, I twirled. I let my passion overflow me as I let the Force enhance my endurance and reflexes. I responded faster than I had ever done as I was invigorated by my master's precence. I drank from his oozing power as I drew my strength from other sources.

My blows were hitting harder while I blended my fighting style with some touches of Form II. My speed started to catch up with his, though I was still no match force him. He deflected or evaded my moves with ease with the minimal amount of effort. He drew upon aspects of Form III as he whittled away my offensive.

He was toying with me!

"Attack me with all your strength, master!"

He showed no sign of change. I took risks, presented holes, and abated some of my speed in favour of strength. Yet he parried my double sabers in a deflecting manner, defusing large amount of kinetic energy into harmless directions. My anger and frustration welled within me. I had to best him! I had to show him what I was capable of!

Though, after a minute or two of trading blows I was pulled from my confidence. Doubt was already firmly planted, making a change in plans quite necessary. He was using the classic trap of sweeping up my anger to rain down blows at his perfect defence. He was willing to wait for me to tire myself. I couldn't let that happen, so I disengaged.

"It wouldn't be much of a lesson if I'd crush you in seconds.", he quipped.

What an ingrate he can be sometimes! I gripped my saber tighter and propelled myself forwards. The wind whipped around my lengthy hair as I thrust a point towards Revan, only to skid at the last second in an attempt to tackle his legs. His feet already met mine as my blade met his. I slapped my free hand against the floor to jump upwards and tried to kick his jaw, only to break off in mid-stroke as his saber intercepted its path.

Damn it now! I was practically upside down now while he was still in a prepared state. As a last resort I manifested my anger and my passion in a fierce Force Lighting arc that was sure to affect him. I let myself surrender to its whipping currents as I laughed at the strength in my veins!

What he did was what I had never expected someone could do. He stretched out his hand and absorbed all the currents! It was like he was sucking the Force right out of me! The bond between us rippled as he gazed upon every savage memory I had. My eyes pricked in tears as I struggled to hold the madness that fuelled my strength, only to fail me in the end.

I fell.

More exhaustion than ever before grappled with my breath. I wheezed and coughed, trying to get my breathing back in order. How could I fail? Even if it was against my master, I should have been able to dent his defences! Was he so far ahead of me that I was nothing but a worm to him, or was it simply my weakness that had failed me?

He held his steely gaze against me. I felt nothing through our bond. Somehow I could feel his inner power burning against my skin as he tingled with my energy. With a casual flick he bounced the compressed bolt of Force Lightning against a chair in the back, utterly annihilating it.

Disappointment tore up inside of me. I felt so unworthy of his love and attention. There were far more Sith Ladies who were prettier and stronger than me. In the end, I had only my Battle Meditation to make myself worthy. Why didn't Revan just lock me up in a cell and force me to use it whenever he pleased to? Fear crept up in me. Was he so disgusted with me that he'd toss me aside?

The answer came through our bond. For a single moment I felt I could fly. He loved me! It was more than just power that mattered. It didn't matter that I couldn't keep up. I was behind him, yes, but I could learn. I could reform myself into a capable warrior at his side. He was confident I could learn from him.

But he wanted me to detach from the Dark Side first. How could I? There was unimaginable power at my grasp. How could I give it up once I tasted its invigorating energy? Revan was power, yes, but I somehow doubted I could reach the same perfection in the Force as he had reached. He was ages ahead of me in wisdom. A single Force caress at my cheek swept away my doubts.

I kept smiling as he left me to wash up and go over his files. Being a Dark Lord of the Sith was a busy job, despite the heavy amount of delegation involved. Revan needed time to get up to date on the inner workings of the Empire. After a time, I washed up myself, end dressed myself in my new garment. I had devoted my life for my master, and so my clothing reflected that. I wore a heavy robe of black that was comfortable yet alluring at the same time. A heavy cowl would hide my features to the public as I wished.

But the most defining feature was strapped over it. I strapped up the leathery armour that would encompass my torso and my arms, ending with a pair of firm fingerless gloves. I revelled at the colour I had chosen, in the exact pale dark red as my master's armour. I marvelled at my fate. I had the strongest Sith Lord – if you can even call him a Sith – in my grasp, and held a position that had dominion over billions of subjects spread over hundreds of worlds. If I wanted to, I could order my minions to poison the entire surface of a planet or the enslavement of an entire species. The immense authority at my fingertips was succulent as it was addictive. It was good to be Sith.

I knew it wasn't that simple, of course. The common people in our territory despised the Sith garrison forces and knew nothing of its beliefs. These rimworlders rather be left alone, where they would descend into helplessness, or desired to be a part of the Galactic Republic, who would do nothing for them. The Army and the Navy were effective and competent, though. They provided a refuge for many rabble, from debt-laden laborers to escaped slaves, and gave them a new life. They trained, they fought, they bonded, and if they were lucky, they may happen to retire with a modest pension. It was the perfect opportunity for the strong to reach their potential.

The problem lay in the Force Sensitives. Compared to the total population they were but a handful, but each were worth their weight in gold. Even the weakest Sith Adept would become powerful factors in their later life. The dozens of Sith Lords who commanded a significant sway over the Force would be the biggest thorns in our side. They were nothing compared to my master, of course, but I had seen plenty of battle to know that I could be outmatched, even with my new talents in the Dark Side. Being apprenticed to the leader of their Empire meant being in great risk. It was part of the job. Well, let those jealous schutta's come.

Though, Revan didn't share the same thought. He was going to the heart of one of the most powerful academies and would most likely confront the powerful teachers. It was quite the bold idea, but I had the utmost confidence that my master could crush them all if he wished to. He wasn't the Dark Lord for nothing.

* * *

I followed my master at a small distance behind him as he crossed the surface of some ancient smooth bridge. The Academy loomed in front of us in its majestic glory. The surrounding cliffs and hills were rocky and broken, a consequence of the cataclysm that ended the Mandalorians. The entire world seemed lifeless, but we had glimpsed several Force infused animals skulking about.

As soon as we reached the front courtyard shapes suddenly emerged from the left and right of us. I immediately reached for my lightsaber, but Revan suddenly commanded me to hold. Glancing tensely, I kept my eyes on the Sith Assassins as they disabled their cloaking device and marched towards the middle. Both sides approached each other and knelt down with their fist against the surface. I realized now that they were welcoming us, suggesting us to go forwards through the tunnel of Assassins. Revan accepted the wordless invitation without a sign, and as his faithful servant, I followed his wake.

Soon we reached inside, and I felt the energies of the Dark Side wash over me in a greater intensity than before. The entire Acadamy was supposedly a leftover of the ancient Sith. I believed it. The architecture was arcane and empty. Black, white, and red seemed to be the theme. Blood red circles and other Sith symbols adorned the walls. Revan led me down the hallways where countless of masked uniformed Assassins went about their way. I saw them spar. I saw them meditate. I saw them simply walk. The most eerie detail was that I never saw them without their masks, and I never heard them speak a word. It was as if they were ghosts.

We met a few Sith Masters along the way. They were obviously instructors of some sort. Unlike the Assassins, they refused to bow or kneel at our presence. The insolence in them! Their minds were closed tight, as expected of ones who have attained mastery in their field, but to one who was able to influence the minds of millions of soldiers, it presented but a small challenge. I tentatively extended the Force to their minds, hoping to get a glimpse of their thoughts without their notice. I was not sure if some of them realized what I was doing, but being apprenticed to the Dark Lord offered me enough protection for them to speak it out.

They were disconcerted. No, they were clearly troubled. Malak presented a known quality. He was a master at the lightsaber, he was intelligent enough to maintain discipline, and he was predictably ruthless. They acknowledged Malak as the defeater of Revan. But to see him back was one thing, to see his changes was another. They knew Revan had changed. They could see it with their very eyes, if they touched out with the slightest touch of the Force. My master looked the same as ever, but underneath it all he did not bother to hide his signature. The mix of the Dark and Light was heretical for some Sith, it was an abomination for others. Despite that, they knew he was the real Revan, and they acknowledged his strength. They did not dare strike at him openly.

We entered a deep chamber in the heart of the Trayus Academy. Revan paused for a moment to take in the sight, then wordlessly approached the peculiar structure in the middle. It was a place of intense power, where the Dark Side flowed extremely deep, perhaps rivaling that of the Star Forge. I followed the heavy taps of his boots as he neared the circle of Red. Three talons of what looked like talons surrounded the round area. Three figures were waiting within. An old woman was in front.

"Master Kreia. Or is it Darth Traya now?"

The senile granny dared to smirk! Her complexion was paler than the white of the walls. Her wrinkles seemed to be more of a consequence of the taint from the Dark Side than mere old age. Her rag-like white hair was bundled like the twin lekkus of a twi'lek. Despite looking like a living corpse, she exuded a calm presence that indicated she did not draw on blind passion for her strength. Or perhaps that was another deception?

Those cracked lips seemed to break apart as she spoke. "My.. greatest pupil. You have returned in the exact manner as I had hoped. You understand – you truly understand the Force. It is such a beautiful sight, to gaze upon your core and to see my very dream in perfection. Revan.. you are my success."

"I thought you were too old for these sentimentalities, master."

The old crone began to cackle in My master's face! How dare she! Who was this zombie anyway? "Child, you are mistaken. Can an old woman not indulge herself?"

"It does not seem unbecoming of a Sith Master.."

"Labels, labels. You know as well as I do that there is more to me than that. Just as you have taken the title of the Dark Lord of the Sith from that gruff Malak. Does that title really apply on you, Revan?"

The woman stared up at me hard, making me wish I could just burn out her eyes with my saber.

"And who is this, your new apprentice? I have heard of the great Darth Bastion, who was once but a simple padawan. A padawan with an incredibly valuable talent, perhaps, but I do wonder.. if there was something more.. _carnal_ in your decision making?"

I could feel Revan tense through our bond, as if there was immense danger ahead of us. I took his warning in kind, and prepared for any threat that might come.

My master spoke boldly, "A woman like you won't ever comprehend. My coming here was because I needed you to know. And to judge." He gestured his arm towards me. "Darth Bastion is my apprentice, _and_ my lover."

"Fool!", she exploded. "Do not debase yourself into a putrid animal who can't think nothing else besides his mate! She is a weakness that is just screaming to be exploited. She is weak, foolish, and arrogant. Oh yes Bastion, I know _exactly_ what you are. I can see, I can see farther than anyone else in this room. Do not let my atrophied eyes deceive you, whore."

That bitch! I was trembling in rage and was just itching to explode. My head swirled in power as I charged up my body with the Dark energies that mingled in this unholy place. But before I could speak, Revan defused my anger with wave of his armoured gauntlet and a flick over our bond with a soothing emotion.

But that woman, Traya, had to ruin it for me again. "Ah, so the dog can roll over at its master's command. Is she—"

"Silence.", Revan commanded, and Traya looked affronted, but she obeyed nonetheless. Revan continued, "You were my master once; that time is over. I have learned everything I had from you, and I have learned more from others. This pinnacle of power that you see, that you think is your success, is actually the work of my apprentice. You who see but do not trust can never understand."

Both parties stayed silent. Revan stood unmoving in his cloak and armored self. His helmeted visage must have been boring down on the woman. The lady seemed clearly troubled, but betrayed nothing more than that.

"Why don't you introduce me to your apprentices, Traya?"

She slipped a humorless smile on her face. "Though they do not reach the extent of your power, I am quite fond with them either way." She beckoned to her left, and a gruesome figure stepped forwards. His entire skin seemed cracked and mutilated, as if some sick torturer had a field day with his body. The Force flowed strong in his limbs and seemed to contain his flesh – though it looked more like rock – in its form. A pupil was conspicuously absent in his right eye. His left bore down hard on me, and I could not figure out whether it was because of hatred or lust. Probably both.

His deep otherworldly voice echoed, "I am Darth Sion, Lord of Pain." He met the stare of my master's mask. Different emotions sprang about him, and he did little to hide them. There was intense jealously and envy. Did he covet that old crone's favor? Or did he simply wished his power for himself?

Traya them motioned to his other side, but the figure there stayed at its place. His peculiar robes cloaked his entire form. On his face was an artful white mask with red streaks. There was meaning to his mask, but what it entailed to was unknown to me. All I could sense through the Force was.. nothing. At least, not in the conventional way. To stare at his was to be sucked at him. He seemed to exude a great hole, a terrible wound in the Force. The more I probed with the Force, the more he seemed to absorb my energies. I retracted myself harshly, and received a terrible echo within my core in return. Who was he?

Then, he spoke. It was a language so alien, so bird-like but also so demonic. I could feel through my bond that Revan recognized the language. That was not surprising since he let his incredible command of the Force understand the words. But what I felt from Revan was that he was deeply wary of this figure. It was more than the wounds. It was more than his language. It was simply.. his entire existence.

He was a threat.

"This,", Traya explained, "is Darth Nihilus, Lord of Hunger."

They paused.

Finally, Revan spoke. "You are the greater fool here, Darth Traya."

Instantly Sion activated his saber. In response, I grabbed my own, but I waited to see what would happen before I would activate it.

"Do tell me then.", the woman spoke confidently.

Revan spoke calmly, "You who spent endless hours in books and scrolls, in databanks and holocrons, have no notion of interaction. Lady of Betrayal, are you? You can not see what is in front of your very nose. Your apprentices care little of you, and have learned all that they have from you. I can feel their impatience, their irritation, their hunger."

Traya seemed unperturbed, but I had a feeling she was dead frightened.

"You who empower yourself in the Sith are blind in the dangers. There is no purpose in taking more than one apprentice. It is foolish to dilute your attention like this and it will advance the Sith to no advantage. They will conspire with themselves one day, and combine their efforts to bring you down. And when that is done, they will turn on themselves. What remains is a master weaker than the original one."

Now the bitch was tearing up. She looked clearly shocked at the revelation. Her arms shook as her eyes trembled. She seemed genuinely wrong. I could still sense nothing from her emotions, but that she even expressed her emotions physically meant that she was obviously in distress.

She got what she deserved. Nobody messes with my master. I relished in her suffering and drank at her despair. She dropped on the floor and looked quite out of herself

"All this.. for nothing?", she whispered.

The damaged human stepped up in front of her and spat, "Do not speak of my master in this manner, Lord Revan!"

A small alarm beeped. What was that?

"I am the Dark Lord of the Sith. And you, are a traitor."

What?

Revan tapped his helmet. "While we were having a chat, I was receiving reports from the surface. It seems the escort that had brought me here has detected several ships coming out of hyperspace. Most seemed to be the damaged elements of the Sixth and Eight Fleet. Now why would these remnants phase in on this planet when I had ordered them to conquer Onderon? The speed at which they arrived indicated that they may not have obeyed that order at all and instead, headed towards this system directly. Now who were they intending to meet?"

The surprise was thrown in. Traya seemed wallowing in her failure, the weak old coot, but the others seemed wary. Sion was offended, while that Nihilus didn't seem to be bothered that much. The tension was palpable however, and the Dark energies that surrounded this place was surging through our ranks.

"Your Sith triumvirate is exposed, though it seems Betrayal did not have a part of this." How could Revan know that? And how was he even sure that Sion and Nihilus were the ringmasters of this rebellion?

He was at his element, he seemed. He held sway over incredible power, and seemed to know everything. Was it because of precognition? Or did he read the minds of others? Whatever the methods, my master seemed simply incredible.

But his thought told me otherwise.

_Bastion, we are at a disadvantage._

My eyes widened at that statement. I responded through the bond. _Why? You have them at their throats!_

_The enemy cruisers and corvettes__, though damaged in some way, outnumber our escort by 4-to-1. They arrived much earlier than I had expected, and the timing is especially unfortunate._

_What is the matter, love?_

_Their fleet is preparing to engage. There is little time before it starts, and they need your Battle Meditation._

Damn it all! I needed to get to ships, or at least somewhere safe on the planet where I could focus my powers into aiding the Battle Group that would engage the treacherous forces above. But for me to achieve that, I would need to fight through these three Sith Lords and perhaps countless of assassins elsewhere in the academy. The odds weren't favorable.

Belatedly, I clicked on my lightsaber. Twin red blades erupted in a neat fashion.

"Master Kreia,", Revan spoke, "you do not wish to fight your greatest trophy. Defend with me against these two."

"You shall fall before us, Lord Revan.", Sion boasted. "You are nothing but an echo of the past, false Sith. You are weak and cowardly. To throw away the Star Forge is folly!"

The battle started abruptly. One moment Sion was speaking, the next the area turned into a chaos as Revan blasted the broken man with an intensive Force Push. The air seemed to pop under the sudden pressure, and Sion was not prepared to face such an onslaught. Immediately after Revan whipped out his saber and threw it at the fallen opponent. The crimson blade struck his arm in a loud hiss before passing over. Blood – or something that seemed like it – oozed from the wound. Surprisingly, the victim didn't flinch at all. He simply stood up and in some way made it heal. He activated his own blade and charged at Revan.

"Bastila, watch out!"

I was so entranced by Revan and Sion's duel that I narrowly dodged something _unseen_ – yet so sharp.

"Darth Nihilus.", I spat. He was a traitor, therefore he had to die. The only thing is, I probably couldn't. I would try to hold him off as long as I can for my master, though.

I broke my stance and ran, using the invigorating energies of the Dark Side to enhance my body and let it take its course. My mindset was fixed on Form IV. I didn't know his capabilities, but he seemed to suck the Force within his self. He would probably be a powerful Force user, so I couldn't giving him the time to pull of something power. I had to occupy his concentration.

I veered off the path and jumped against one of the tall talons, only to bounce off its surface and in a straight path his side. His single red blade met against one of mine at the last moment, jarring my impact and stunning me momentarily. Holding me off, he pushed me back with surprising strength and knocked me back against the wall. I shook off my cobwebs and spun upwards against the Sith Lord's unseen pull. When I landed I pushed myself off again, hoping to strike against my opponent when he was pulling off another one of his strange Force attacks.

My double-bladed lightsaber twirled against his defences. I transitioned to Form III as he took on the offensive. He cut long broad strokes, but also a few swift ones after that. He was trying to break my defences and I had to use every single inch of my double blades to even hold him off. I parried, evaded, deflected, but I knew I couldn't hold it off long enough. The Dark Side was aiding my battle, but Nihilus seemed to siphoning off even that. He was devouring my strength, physically and mentally, with each passing blow.

Eventually, he cracked his fist against my jaw, almost breaking it with his massive strength. I lost complete control of my body as I flew against the floor. My mind was swimming and it took pure instinct to jump off. My legs were still wobbling and I couldn't move out of the way. My eyes focused on Nihilus as he seemed to draw something in. He was focusing in for something strange, something incredible. The energies of the Dark Side seemed to swirl and pull around him, _in _him. He seemed to devour my mental will by pulling my mind towards his. It took every ounce of will to keep him from tearing off my mind.

"Noo…"

His voice sounded within my head, speaking in that same language again. Each voice was like agony, and the Force was propelling his words into action somehow. Each part of my being seemed to be pulled into this black hole of his.

_Bastion, out of the way!_

Master?

My frosted eyes spotted Revan's blur as he charged Nihilus with the Force blazing in his body. His speed was phenomenal as he forced Nihilus to break off his pulling as he defended himself against Revan's rapid strikes. He was vigorous, offensive, and desperate. Through the bond between us I could feel his raging sea of emotions. He was angry, angry at the masked man for hurting me. His aggressive attacks forced Nihilus to pull back as he did all he could to prevent Revan to score a hit.

_Behind you!_, I called.

Sion, who was scorched and burned in several places, already began to heal as he wheeled towards Revan's back. Having ample warning, Revan smoothly stepped out of the side so he could face the two Siths from the front. Sion hardly paused to resume his attack. Nihilus quickly joined in.

I prepared to join them, but just as I was about to jump, Revan yelled, _Don't jump in! This is my fight. Protect yourself._

Seeing their struggle play out, I knew I would be a liability to him. Reluctantly, I kept out an eye to Traya, who was still struggling with her feelings on the floor, and the battle.

Revan seemed to have the upper hand against his opponents, but somehow they seemed to persevere. Sion was a wreckless fighter, using the _Djem So_ form to overpower Revan's defences. Sometimes he didn't even bother to parry or evade, and simply let the lightsaber burn his limbs. But whatever injury he received, it seemed to reform back to normal. Every burn or scrape he received was healed by the incredible Dark energies that kept his body intact. He was using his powerful physique to his full advantage as he barraged Revan's defences with powerful attacks.

"I can die a hundred times and I shall still arise to cut you down!"

The shrouded figure of Nihilus was complementing Sion with his own powerful attacks. He was a slight touch faster but his thin arms seemed to hold a lot of strength. He crashed against Revan's lightning speed blade, forcing the armored figure to pull back. Occasionally he would taunt in his wild language, but Revan would always cut him off. Force powers were ineffective against him; he seemed to absorb the very essence of it.

Even the two of them could not overwhelm Revan. Such was the power of the Dark Lord that his core shined even brighter when Nihilus attempted to suck out his energy. Revan was power. As the two kept duelling he moved less and less. He seemed to become more in tune with the Dark environment. His attacks were getting more savage as his Niman form balanced out against the attacks of multiple opponents. He wasn't simply deflecting or defusing attacks anymore. He was counterattacking. His blazing speed was more than matched by the two. He started to attack with a two handed grip, adding extra leverage against their defences.

Then, he got lucky. Sion attempted a diagonal spin, but he was brutally punched in the gut before being pushed away by the Force. Revan seemed to concentrate on Nihilus, who was facing an increasingly harsh time with the sabers. Revan scored several hits against the Sith Lord; but somehow he seemed to receive no damage from it. The lightsaber tore through his robes and seemed to sear flesh. However, before Revan could score more hits, Nihilus seemed to suck everything in on him again, visibly affecting Revan.

He was in trouble!

I started to jump in but suddenly the massive body of Sion blocked my sight. I was forced to engage the grinning human as he crashed his blade against mine. My rapid spins and thrusts seemed to be unable to faze him at all, and his wounds just kept healing! He kept me falling back, further and further away from the middle of the circle. Behind him I could already see my master's knees buckle. I almost tore my eyes out at the agony Revan transmitted in our bond.

"He hungers.", my opponent taunted as he started to do a roll that would have almost cut me down in half. "My ally will devour his every being. He is the perfect meal for him."

_Master__! Pull yourself together! Get away from him!_

He seemed to be grappling against the Force vacuum that Nihilus generated. Even Sion and I weren't immune to its effects. It slowed us down as we gripped our minds together. Revan was on his knees, his lightsaber deactivated. Nihilus started ramble in his language, his entire voice carrying well beyond the room. I was intensely frustrated. I couldn't do anything to save Revan! The Lord of Hunger slowly straightened and lifted his arm towards his opponent. I was already so far back that even if I could get past Sion, I doubt I would be in time.

"You will not!"

Traya! The witch ran towards Nihilus as he drew in Revan's energy into his palm. Her red blade swung in a horizontal arc that would decapitate Nihilus if he kept his position. Forced to dodge, he suddenly jumped back as he interrupted his Force attack. The air started to crack as the vacuum destabilized the Force flow in the room. Nihilus was ranting frantically in his language, and as Traya started to close in the distance, he struck out his arm and sent the dark bolt of Force in his hand towards the old woman.

She had no time to dodge. The connection was instant. The energies gathered from Revan crackled like pure black lightning as they arced both Traya and Nihilus. Both screamed in some kind of agony as the energies – both Light and Dark – seemed to poison their veins and shock their systems. Eventually, Nihilus seemed to shrug off the effects and started to pull the energies towards him. The lightning stopped flowing into Traya. It started to turn back to the Lord of Hunger.

He ate upon the essence. It invigorated him. He ate more. The lightning ceased, and all there was left was an invisible flow as Nihilus started to suck out Traya's energies. The woman screamed in agony before simply falling into a catatonic state. Finally, he ceased.

Traya's head lolled over my master as he struggled to stand up. "Revan.. my child.. the bonds.. exploit the bonds. They both can't live.. without the Force. Cut it off from them.. and they shall die." Finally, she fell unconscious.

"Master Kreia..", Revan whispered. All of a sudden the winds of the Dark Side started to envelop him. He gave into his agony, and pooled his hatred into his being. The Dark energies of this place couldn't keep up with his strength.

The mere sight of it made me happy. I could feel his rage oozing off our bond, leaking some of his energies into mine. I started to become more invigorated, and battled out against Sion more effectively. We became evenly matched. Behind him, Revan seemed to gather the Force into an unfamiliar attack. I could feel his determination set in; he was planning on something.

He lifted his arm towards our fight and crunched his fist.

"AAAAUUUGH! What.. what have you done?", Sion yelled as he dropped. I shamelessly took advantage of his agony as I burned out his eyes and cut down tendons of flesh. Amazingly, he was able to jump back half the giant chamber.

"Revan! You.. the Force.. stop trying to cut me off! Aaaarggh!"

Sion seemed visibly in pain as he struggled to get the flows of the Force in his body. He was leaking energy, upsetting the air around him into wild twists of Force manifestations. I Force jumped to his position to attempt to cut him down, but always he seemed to throw some garbled Dark energy towards me, a mix of weak Force Lightning and Force Pushes. All the while he was screaming in pain.

Revan was already focusing on his next target. He was using two arms for this. He seemed to manipulate the Dark Side around the Lord of Hunger, creating a vacuum around him that seemed to draw out the Force energies he just absorbed. The strange humanoid was wracking in his demonic language as he tried to fend off the assault. Finally, he broke off from his position with a Force Jump and landed at the entrance to the chamber. He signaled something to Sion.

"This.. isn't over yet, Revan! We will take the mantle of Dark Lord of the Sith from your grasp and annihilate your whore!", and with that, Sion fled the room.

Finally.. it was over. I let myself fall back as I started to catch my breath. Revan was staring at the entrance, silent. Traya was still unconscious.

"This isn't over yet, Bastila! The assassins are moving against us. They're with the two from the start. We have to get out of here and break towards orbit to help out the Battle Group."

"I.. master.. I'm too tired.."

"I'll fight our way out. Just carry Kreia with us."

"Yes, master."

I sauntered over towards the fallen Dark Lady and lifted her up. The ugly battle left little physical wounds, but it exhausted us pretty much. I could barely draw up the emotions to replenish my condition. Carrying the old woman was hard, but I could make it.

"Follow.", he stated, and proceeded to run. I struggled to catch up with him as we moved out. As soon as we were out we were assaulted by Assassins left and right. Revan didn't waste any time for them; they were too weak in the Force to throw up a decent defense against Revan's large swathes of attacks. When confronted by a dozen cloaked figures, he lifted up his hand towards the sky and called up a devastating Force Storm that engulfed every living being – except me and the woman. The next large room was occupied by a meddle of Sith Commandoes, bearing powerful rifles, and a meddle of Sith Marauders. Again Revan didn't waste time with them, and sent a concentrated Force Push that slammed them to the walls with massive force. We were already past them as they fell lifelessly to the ground with every bone of their body broken.

Revan kept blasting with the Force, and he didn't seem to run out. Such was the power of Revan that the others were simply no match for him. Nobody lasted more than a few seconds upon spotting the red of his armour. In our journey to the surface we noticed few Sith Masters who fought back their students. They were already struck down by the time we arrived, though. At least it indicated that not the entire academy fell in sway with the traitors, however few there was. The final chamber was packed with scores of assassins. Revan simply extended his bonds to them and drove them to insanity. As we left the front doors, they were already dying from the lack of air.

They forgot how to breathe.

* * *

A shuttle picked us up. As we rose through the atmosphere, a blast of heavy guns had fired downwards. It was probably _Malak's Doom_ that fired the shot. The Trayus Acadamy was no more. Traya was still unconscious, strapped at the seat to my right. Facing towards me at the opposite side, Revan was eerily silent. His clothing was frayed and cut, but his armor seemed intact. There was no telling what he was thinking. Our bond was silent as he drew in his thoughts.

The craft landed without problems in the flagship's landing bay. Medics took Kreia to the Kolto tanks as Revan and I marched towards the flagship module, which served as the coordination center for fleet wide engagements.

"Status report.", Revan demanded as soon as we entered.

The tactical officer reported, "Our command is prepared and in battle station. Confirmed elements of the Sixth Fleet and Eight Fleet in the vicinity. It includes admiral Garrett's command ship the _Might of Korriban_, but admiral Kavira's flagship is absent. Combined enemy forces total four cruisers and twelve corvettes. We have no sightings of any fighters yet, but we assume they carry their full compliment. Half of the ships show signs of battle damage."

Damn, they outnumber us with at least four-to-one. I glanced nervously at Revan, who seemed to be pondering the situation itself. His cool steely gaze was absorbing the holomap in detail.

Finally, he spoke, "They are hiding behind the debris field."

"Ah, yes my Lord, it is probable that they are expecting a threat from the hyperspace lane."

"They have surely noted our presence by now."

"Perhaps they think we are the lesser threat."

Darth Revan, a mere nuisance? How dare those traitors think of us so low! I should have cut down the underlings of those deceased admirals as well!

"Order the Battle Group to move through the debris field to their location."

The tac officer looked mollified. "Lord Revan, it would put our fleet to undue risk! And it serves no purpose since we have already been discovered."

How dare he question my master. Revan stood silent. Then, he uttered a single word. "Bastion."

"With pleasure, master." I cackled in glee as I forced the air out of the young man's throat as he tried in vain to breathe. As soon as he was well out of breath I stopped the attack when Revan cut his hand.

"Do not question my commands when we are not in deliberation. In battle, there is no time for talking back."

The ships began to move. The massive dreadnought plotted a course through the least dangerous parts of the debris field towards the enemy position, pushing smaller bits away with its powerful force shield. The smaller corvette escorts followed in its wake. Revan kept staring at the plot, while I held position on the meditation mat, ready to activate my Battle Meditation at a single command from my master. I looked at the screen in front of me, where several green triangles were approaching a larger group of red triangles. Soon the battle would commence, and a flurry of tiny red and green specks would fly out of their carrier ships and engage the enemy.

The ship didn't rumble at all, a testament to the mighty Star Forge. However, I didn't quite see the point in going through the trouble of moving through the field when we could have just bypassed it by going around the polar north. Sure enough, they couldn't follow us in the field unless they calibrated their instruments carefully, but I didn't see what Revan was up to.

My master stayed patient, but focused. His thoughts were so intense that he couldn't spare the time to transmit his feelings through our bond. All I could feel was… determination. Even though we stayed safe in our ships, he still felt danger was around the corner. To him, he was still in battle.

It was halfway through the field when it happened.

"New hyperspace arrivals have entered the system! Allegiance unknown. They're arriving simultaneously!"

That was a dangerous risk. Ships bound too close could collide with each other. The action only had merit if there were enemies near the destination. That meant these were likely enemies of the traitors. But the question was, did they belong to the Republic, or the loyalist Sith?

"Heat signature detected! It's… it's massive, and behind us!"

Behind us? What the hell? There should be nothing but husks and debris in the field around the system, and the planet was devoid of any naval bases. There shouldn't have been a way for a ship to hyper within the gravity well of the planets or the sun either. A vessel might have jumped on the other side of the system and sneaked in behind us, but that would have been preposterous as it would have been detected by our own ships by now.

"The transponders are receiving a signal… it's.. but this must be a mistake.."

Revan calmly gazed towards the sensor officer and approached his station. With a steely gaze behind his motionless mask he glanced at the readings. His emotions flared intensely. What was he seeing? What made him so upset?

I couldn't stand knowing he was upset. There was so much devotion in me that I would do –anything– to make him comfortable again.

Finally, a single image dominated my mind. An old Republic ship.. the vanguard of the Republican Navy and the first ship of its class. Lost in a cataclysmic battle, but returned from the grave by impossible means.

The _Ravager_ herself…

* * *

**End Notes:** I just noticed that I had let this fic wallow in the archives for years just shy short of twenty thousand words, so this is just a minor filler. When I wrote this fic some many years after the release of the original KOTOR, I never thought that this universe would be visited again. How wrong I was when I discovered the new MMORPG developed by my absolute favorite game studio BioWare. I've thought about returning to this fic again, but when I learned more details about the TOR MMORPG, it didn't really seem to appeal to me. The recently-announced Warhammer 40,000 universe is much more vivid in comparison. Oh well. I'd better leave this one in the archives. Writing this fic has been a pain in the butt since there are a myriad of technical details, none of them easily accessible in a handy wiki or something. The third chapter was supposed to be a space battle, but how could I accurately describe something like that when I have no idea on the nature of space battles in this era and this universe? What is the range of blasters (and missiles if they are used)? Do they travel at the speed of light? Unlikely, since jedis can deflect regular blasters. That means that the range of engagement is likely well under a light-second, possibly just in the range of kilometers or even less. What then? How fast can ships move in sublight? Does it translate through space by slow acceleration (a few gees) or rapid acceleration (hundreds of gees)? Since there is artificial gravity, it stands to reason that inertial dampeners also exist, allowing his gees of acceleration to be possible. But this all depends on whether or not ships accelerate through thrust. The big engines at the back of starships suggest this is so. Still, I'm not even certain how the sublight engines actually work. With no numbers, no guesses, no precise indications anywhere in the movies or in a wiki, I feel myself lost in Star Wars space battles.


End file.
